This article was co-authored by Jurdy Dugdale, RN. Jurdy Dugdale is a Registered Nurse in Florida. She received her Nursing License from the Florida Board of Nursing in 1989.

There are 25 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, which is also called adult-onset diabetes, it means your body no longer produces enough insulin to control your blood sugar levels. Getting your diagnosis is a scary experience, but you can manage your condition and maintain a productive lifestyle. In some cases, you may be able to reverse your diabetes, especially if the diagnosis is recent. When treating your type 2 diabetes, it’s important to work with your medical providers and follow your treatment plan. Additionally, eat a healthy diet and make lifestyle changes to keep your blood sugar levels within a normal range.

Steps

Method1

Following Your Treatment Plan

1

Test your blood sugar daily. At a minimum, check your blood sugar once a day in the morning before breakfast. However, your doctor will likely advise you to check your sugar several times a day, such as before meals, after you’ve eaten, and at night before bed. Follow their recommendations for when to check your sugar. Keep a record of the readings so you can track your personal trends and look for patterns.[1]

Keep in mind that both high and low blood sugar readings are a concern.

Since exercise can lower your blood sugar, it’s a good idea to check your sugar before you workout to make sure it isn’t low. If it is low, eat a healthy snack with carbs and protein. For example, you could eat apple slices and peanut butter or a low-sugar protein bar.

2

Take your diabetes medicine as instructed by your doctor. Your doctor will prescribe medication to help control your blood sugar levels. Some medications will improve your body’s sensitivity to insulin while maintaining normal insulin levels, while others can cause your body to produce more insulin. Your doctor will instruct you on when and how to take your medicine, and it’s important you follow these directions.[2]

If you have any questions about your medications, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Use your insulin as directed, if your doctor prescribes it. Your doctor may prescribe insulin to help manage your blood sugar levels. You must inject insulin for it to be effective. Insulin can't be taken orally because it would break down in your digestive system. Your doctor will tell you when to take your insulin, as there are different types of insulin.[3]

For example, some people take insulin once a day. On the other hand, you may be prescribed insulin to take before a meal. The type your doctor prescribes will depend on your individual needs.

Don’t stop taking your insulin unless your doctor tells you to stop.

Method2

Eating a Healthy Diet

1

Choose smaller portions. Switching to smaller portions is a quick and easy way to control your calorie intake and consume less sugar. Plus, it’s better to eat 6 small meals rather than 3 large meals. Eating several meals spreads out your carbohydrate and sugar consumption throughout the day.[4]

Use smaller dishes to make it look like your portions are larger than they are. For example, a smaller plate will fill up quicker than a large plate, tricking your eye into seeing more food.

2

Eat a high-fiber diet to help manage your blood sugar. A high fiber diet helps keep your blood sugar from spiking and dropping. It can also help you feel full. Luckily, diabetes-friendly foods like vegetables and whole grains are also high in fiber![5]

Great sources of fiber include vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.

To meet your daily fiber recommendations, you should eat 21-25 grams of fiber if you’re a woman, or 30-38 grams of fiber if you’re a man.[6]

3

Make non-starchy vegetables and legumes the star of your meal. Fill most of your plate with vegetables or legumes, saving a small space for a lean protein. These foods help stabilize your blood sugar levels. Plus, they’re full of nutrients and low on calories![7]

Choose complex carbs over simple carbs. Although you need to watch your carb intake, carbs are still an important part of your diet. You can still eat carbs with every meal as long as you opt for complex carbs, which digest slowly. Because they break down slowly, complex carbs don’t spike your blood sugar as much as simple carbs.[8]

Simple carbs include things like baked goods, candy, processed foods, and sweetened foods or drinks. Cut these foods out of your diet to help keep your blood sugar levels stable.

5

Eat 3 ounces (85 g) of lean protein with each meal. Get most of your protein from fish, tofu, legumes, and nuts. Fish and plant-based proteins are easier for your body to digest, so they don’t stay in your system for as long. Additionally, eating a plant-based diet helps manage your blood sugar levels.[9]

For example, you might eat a tofu scramble for breakfast, tuna for lunch, bean soup for dinner, and peanut butter as a snack.

6

Limit meat consumption because meat impacts your blood sugar longer. Meat protein is harder for your body to digest than protein from plant sources. This means it affects your body longer. Research shows a plant-based diet is better for preventing and treating type 2 diabetes. Incorporating more plant-based proteins can help you keep your blood sugar in control.[10]

If you continue to eat meat, limit yourself to a few meat-based meals each week. For example, you might have meat days on Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

7

Incorporate healthy fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats into your diet. Healthy fats help keep your blood sugar in a healthy range. Plus, they help you feel fuller! Increase monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in your diet, but limit how much saturated fat you eat. If you’re still eating trans fats, cut them out of your diet.[11]

Great sources of healthy fats include olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish, like salmon.

Saturated fats are common in animal products, like meat, eggs, and full-fat dairy. Switch to low-fat dairy and lean cuts of meat to lower your saturated fats. Similarly, you could switch from eggs to egg whites or limit egg consumption to 3 eggs a week. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, you don’t need to cut out all saturated fats. Just monitor how much you’re eating.

Trans fats are found in baked or processed foods. Always check the label before eating these types of snacks.[12]

8

Stop drinking sugary drinks. Sweetened drinks are especially harmful for your blood sugar, as they contain simple sugars. Drinks like sweet tea, soda, juice, flavored coffee, sweetened smoothies, and sports drinks can all increase your blood sugar. They also don’t provide much nutritional value, so it’s best to cut them out completely.[13]

You can switch to a sugar-free sweetener like stevia to flavor your tea or coffee.

As another option, herbal teas provide flavor without sugar.

9

Drink alcohol only with a meal, if you drink at all. Alcohol can both spike and lower your blood sugar, depending on its contents and when you drink it. The best way to drink alcohol if you have diabetes is to first choose a low-sugar option. Then, eat a meal with your drink to lower its effect on your blood sugar.

If you’re having a mixed drink, a low-sugar option will contain sugar-free mixers or diet soda.

If you’re having beer, you can check the label or go with a light option.

Stick to 1 drink a day if you’re a woman or up to 2 drinks a day if you’re a man. Check with your doctor to make sure drinking is a healthy option for you. Unless your diabetes is well controlled, alcohol may not fit into your diet.[14]

Method3

Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices

1

Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. Exercise helps you manage your blood sugar.[15] It can also improve your body's use of insulin.[16] Before you begin exercising, talk to your doctor to make sure you're healthy enough for it. Here are some ways to add more exercise to your day:

Manage your stress levels with good coping strategies. Stress is a normal part of life, but it can raise your blood sugar. That’s because your stress hormones trigger your body to release glucose into your bloodstream so you’ll have energy to engage your fight-or-flight response. Since this can spike your blood sugar, coping with your stressors is essential.[17] Here are a few coping strategies to try:

Create your own self care box with calming items like essential oil, a favorite book, and a bag of tea.

Maintain a healthy weight. Carrying extra weight on your body puts you at a higher risk for diabetes. Keeping your weight in a healthy range for your height and age can help you manage your condition. If you want to lose weight, start by following your diabetes diet, as provided by your doctor or dietitian. Then, increase your activity level.[18]

Incorporate more movement throughout your day to more easily manage your weight. For example, you can take the stairs instead of the elevator, park farther away from the grocery store, or join a neighbor for dog walks.

Keep in mind that anyone can develop diabetes, regardless of weight.

4

Quit smoking, if you do. Smoking can cause diabetic complications, so it’s important to quit. Quitting is really hard, but you can get support! Talk to your doctor about the options available for you. You might try the following quitting aids:[19]

Chewing nicotine gum

Using nicotine patches

Taking a prescription drug, like Chantix

Seeking counseling

Joining a support group

Method4

Working with Your Medical Providers

1

Visit your doctor for regular check-ups. Your doctor will check your progress in managing your condition by testing your blood sugar, looking for complications by checking your feet, and weighing you. They’ll also discuss your treatment plan with you and find out how well you’ve complied with it. These checkups help prevent complications from developing and allow the doctor to determine if you need to change your treatment plan.[20]

Your doctor may sometimes take blood and urine samples to check your cholesterol and ensure your kidneys, liver, and thyroid are all functioning well.[21]

Be honest with your doctor about how well you’ve stuck to your treatment plan. If you’ve had a lot of slip ups, they’ll understand and can help you figure out how to make your treatment plan work better for you.

Get your A1C tested every 3 months. The A1C is a test that determines your average blood sugar level over the previous 3 month period. It gives you and your doctor a better understanding of your day-to-day blood sugar levels during that time. This helps you avoid developing complications if your blood sugar is reaching unhealthy levels on a regular basis.

In general, a reading below 7 is considered acceptable for people with diabetes. However, your doctor may set a different goal for your A1C, so follow their advice.[22]

Tell your doctor if you have any wounds that don’t heal. It’s common for diabetics to experience wounds that don’t heal. However, your doctor can help you treat the wound so it doesn’t get worse. Visit your doctor to get a treatment plan for your wound, then follow all of their instructions.[23]

A small wound might not seem like an issue, but it can get worse. It’s best to see your doctor as soon as you notice the wound.

4

Meet with a dietitian to get a special diet designed for you. A dietitian is an expert on nutrition, so they know the best foods for you to consume to be at your healthiest. Tell your dietitian what you typically enjoy eating, and they’ll put together a healthy diet that’s tailored for you. They’ll also give you advice about healthy eating![24]

Ask your doctor for a referral to a dietitian that has experience working with people who have diabetes.

5

Get annual eye exams to avoid complications. Diabetes can lead to eye damage, such as diabetic retinopathy. Luckily, your eye doctor can check for changes in your eye with a simple and painless dilation test. The doctor will put eye drops into your eye to make your pupils wider. Then, they’ll look inside your eye to make sure they’re healthy.[25]

Make sure you have someone to drive you home after your exam, as your eyes will be too sensitive to drive. Additionally, you’ll need to wear sunglasses for a few hours until your pupils return to normal.

If the doctor does notice an issue with your eye, they can offer treatment.

6

Visit your dentist at least once a year to maintain your gum health. Diabetes can also increase your risk of gum disease. However, your dentist can help you avoid this complication if you get regular dental care. Follow your dentist’s advice for keeping your teeth clean and healthy.

Tips

You may be able to reverse your diabetes if you manage your condition. Lifestyle changes may help you control your diabetes if you recently developed the condition. However, this doesn’t work for everyone.

It’s a good idea to purchase and wear a medical bracelet that lets people know you have diabetes. This will allow them to better provide aid if you’re suffering from high or low blood sugar.

Warnings

If left untreated, diabetes can cause serious complications. It’s important to follow your treatment plan exactly as your doctor instructs.

To treat type 2 diabetes, it's important that you work with your doctor so they can prescribe you medication and insulin to help control your blood sugar levels. In addition to following your doctor's treatment plan, you can make lifestyle changes to help with your diabetes, like eating smaller portions, adopting a high-fiber diet, and avoiding meat and sugary drinks. Also, try to exercise for 30 minutes every day, and maintain a healthy weight to manage your condition. For more advice from our Medical co-author, like how to work with medical providers to treat type 2 diabetes, scroll down!

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Article Info

This article was co-authored by Jurdy Dugdale, RN. Jurdy Dugdale is a Registered Nurse in Florida. She received her Nursing License from the Florida Board of Nursing in 1989.